Eismann wrote:Just realized I picked up the Dragon's Milk Bourbon Barrel stout by mistake. It's OK, but bbs isn't my thing. I like bourbon and I like stout, just not together.

Not sure what you mean by "by mistake", but FWIW, there is only one Dragon's Milk from New Holland. It's always been aged in bourbon barrels, and it's always been a stout. They've recently changed the labels and packaging to clearly indicate this, likely due to the increased popularity of bourbon barrel beers. The bottles label it as "Ale aged in oak barrels", but it was still classified as an American Stout, and the description used to clearly indicate those oak barrels were indeed bourbon barrels. Now they've put that information on the four-pack carriers by calling it Bourbon Barrel Stout, but it's still the same Dragon's Milk.

Eismann wrote:Just realized I picked up the Dragon's Milk Bourbon Barrel stout by mistake. It's OK, but bbs isn't my thing. I like bourbon and I like stout, just not together.

Not sure what you mean by "by mistake", but FWIW, there is only one Dragon's Milk from New Holland. It's always been aged in bourbon barrels, and it's always been a stout. They've recently changed the labels and packaging to clearly indicate this, likely due to the increased popularity of bourbon barrel beers. The bottles label it as "Ale aged in oak barrels", but it was still classified as an American Stout, and the description used to clearly indicate those oak barrels were indeed bourbon barrels. Now they've put that information on the four-pack carriers by calling it Bourbon Barrel Stout, but it's still the same Dragon's Milk.

That's so weird. I swear all the other DM's I've had in the past did not have anywhere near this strong a bourbon flavor. It was almost a boilermaker to me.

Growler refill question. In CA, a brewery can only refill a growler if their name is printed on the bottle. Also, all growlers MUST have the breweries name on the bottle -- no blank bottles. So if I bring in an empty growler purchased from Cool Brewing with their name on it to Hops Are Better Brewing, Hops Are Better legally can not refill the empty from Cool Brewing.

The law is the law (why the law is law makes no sense) and most breweries want to sell you their growler (empty $5.00 - $20.00 depending on the brewery), which I get. Profit margin is a profit margin, even on a cheap glass unit.

In the state where you reside, does your state have a law similar to CA?

Like a pie tin, you pay a deposit for the tin, refundable upon return? That's a great idea. Can you use that bottle at another location?

I went to a local favorite Saturday before the game and brought the wrong growler so it couldn't be filled. They did 'loan' me a growler since I am a regular, but wouldn't break the law. I hate the law but live with it.

In Ohio, probably one of the only positive things I will say about this state... a growler bought anywhere can be filled anywhere. Especially handy since the local grocery store has a rotating four-place tap with various imports. This weeked I got two growlers filled with St. Bernardus Abt 12. This has been my favorite reasonably accessible Belgian beer, and the only time I have been able to enjoy it on draft.

Sigwolf wrote:In Ohio, probably one of the only positive things I will say about this state... a growler bought anywhere can be filled anywhere.

To the best of my knowledge, it's the same in PA. I can only speak for sure for the place that I work but we fill growlers from any brewery (provided they are 64 oz, which 99.99999999% of growlers are). There are also growler specials which is nice. Got one of Victory Headwaters Pale Ale recently, good stuff.

I am trying to figure out what sort of beer to get for this weekend to treat myself but also get something appealing enough for some fairly basic taste guests on Sunday. I've been going to bombers and 750 ML bottles for the past several months, I will probably have a very difficult time actually picking out a case of something.

Just get something good for yourself and a case of Natty Light for everyone else.

When I'm faced with a decision like this I generally get 25% of something good I know I like, 25-50% of a solid beer (Sierra Nevada usually works), and 25-50% of swill. Then just let people choose and hope they choose appropriately for their tastes. Harder to do in PA though.

I’ve been keeping an eye on the makers of “The Bräuler,” which is a dishwasher-safe, stainless-steel growler. See http://thezythosproject.com/. They had a Kickstarter a while back to raise money for an add-on that call the FreshCap, which will contain a CO2 cartridge to keep the beer carbonated. It will be available later this year. I’m sure it will be expensive, but I think the ability to keep a growler of beer from going flat even if it takes me days to finish it would be worth it.

Kraftster wrote:I am trying to figure out what sort of beer to get for this weekend to treat myself but also get something appealing enough for some fairly basic taste guests on Sunday. I've been going to bombers and 750 ML bottles for the past several months, I will probably have a very difficult time actually picking out a case of something.

Very fruity (mostly a plum taste), dark, delicate, with a high amount of carbonation (but in a softish way is that makes sense). It says it's a Stout but more like an ale although it does end with a creamy aftertaste.

cracked a Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter. Friend gave it to me as a birthday gift, said it was "aged" but I couldn't find anything on the bottle aside from a vintage mark. Opened the bottle and all I can smell was chocolate.